Broken Nozzle

A broken nozzle will cause all kinds of problems when printing, and should be avoided at all costs. Inspect the tip of the nozzle before each print to check if it has been damaged, as shown below.

Nozzle Breaking During Handling

4 nozzles were included with your V-One - unscrew the broken nozzle and screw in a new one.

The dispensing nozzles are very fragile! Always handle with care.

Take care when removing the cap to avoid breaking nozzles. Twist the cap and pull away from the dispenser in a straight line. Always cap the dispensers when you are done using them as the cap will protect the nozzle from accidental bumps.

Nozzle Breaking During Printing

We have added numerous checks to the software and firmware to prevent nozzles from breaking. However, every now and then certain conditions may result in a broken nozzle.

Is the Bottom Z Limit Switch clean? The bottom Z switch is the metal switch located underneath the printer carriage when it is in the home position. If there is ink residue on the switch, this can cause incorrect height calibration.

Is the Probe tip clean? Residue on the probe can cause height calibration issues.

Did the probe fall into a hole during probing? Watch the probing step closely to ensure the probe doesn't fall into a hole - see the article Probe/Nozzle Fell in a Hole for more information.

Did the probe clip the edge of the board during probing? Your design must fit entirely within the bounds of the FR4 board. See the article Probing Misses the Board for more information.

Did the printer, board, or clamps move? Do not touch the V-One during printing or probing. This can void the precise calibration required for printing, and require re-probing.

Did you touch the Dispenser / Probe after mounting? Touching these after mounting will void the calibration! Click the HOME button in the top right corner to re-calibrate before proceeding.

In Advanced Controls, accessible in the Calibration step, make sure that the Z value is set correctly (0.08 for ink, 0.14 for solder paste). If it has changed, use ▲ and ▼ to adjust it back.

Was the dispenser removed from the carriage? Removing the dispenser after calibrating will invalidate it's position and will lead to a broken nozzle. RE-PROBE the board!